Airship with feathering paddle wheels



June 1961 T. J. RAMNISCEANU 2,990,139

AIRSHIP WITH FEATHERING PADDLE WHEELS Filed May 28, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ROTHTloN 0F 45 THE BLHDE a RoTnT'ww OF THE ROTOR INVENTOR. TIBERIU J. RHHHICEHHU June 27, 1961 T. J. RAMNISCEANU 2,990,139

AIRSHIP WITH FEATHERING PADDLE WHEELS Filed May 28, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN H III/

4 4 INVENTOR. TlBERIU J. RHMHICEHHU T ORHEY June '27, 1961 1'. J. RAMNISCEANU 2,990,139

AIRSHIP WITH FEATHERING PADDLE WHEELS Filed May 28, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQR. TIBERIU JRHMHICEHHU June 27, 1961 T. J. RAMNISCEANU 2,990,139

AIRSHIP WITH FEATHERING PADDLE WHEELS Filed May 28, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 H/ VACUUM DISPLHCEMENT T I Nky 20 Z5 T'IBER'IU J. RHMH'ICEHHU Unite This invention relates to airships simulating automobiles such as disclosed in my copending application Serial Number 713,059 filed February 3, 1958.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an airship shaped to simulate an automobile with mechanism adapted to utilize propeller assemblies at each side of the airship.

Another object of the invention is to provide an airship of this type wherein it is easy to jump into and to jump out of for quick maneuverability.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an airship with propeller assemblies at the front and rear thereof with two engines for transmitting the drive to said propeller assemblies.

A further object of the invention is to provide an airship of this type with propulsion mechanism including propeller blades disposed at the sides of the fuselage and adapted to force air downwardly and rearwardly and forwardly of the fuselage.

.A still further object is to provide a propeller assembly of novel construction.

Yet another object is to provide an airship in simulation of an automobile with novel type and principle of propulsion.

It is also an object of the invention to provide anairship with propeller assemblies disposed at the sides of the fuselage and protected by housings.

It is a further object to provide propulsion mechanism including propellers wherein the pitch of the blades is readily controlled.

It is also proposed to provide an airship with rotors with blade assemblies that are readily tilted bodily to control change in the direction of flights of the airship. It is yet another object to provide an airship of this type that is eflicient in operation and simple in construction.

For further comprehension of the objects and advantages of the invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure and whereina e Paten r FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an airship embodying my invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the propeller mounting on an enlarged scale, parts being shown in elevation and. parts broken away.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary part sectional and part elevational view of the gear box and connection to the engine on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 5 is a sinusoidal view and diagrammatic view showing the three positions of the gearing.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing a straight line position of the gearing.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the. plane of the line 7-7 of FIG. 3, parts being broken away.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the variation in the speed of rotation of the blades. FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation ship of the gearing in operative position. 7 v FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the direction of airflow and the air displacement.

Patented June 27, 1961 ice FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the airship show= ing the direction of the air movement by arrows.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 an air ship embodying my invention is shown and is designated by the numeral 20. The airship is rectangular in shape in plan and in side elevation and simulates an automobile.

The airship comprises a fuselage or body 22 formed of metal or any other suitable material with a bottom wall 23, side walls 24 and front and rear top walls 25 and 26, respectively. At each corner of the fuselage there is an annular dish-shaped compartment constituting a protective housing 27 for a propeller assembly. A frame 29 extends upwardly from the rear of the front top wall 25 for supporting a glass windshield 33. The fuselage is formed with a front seat 31 for the-pilot and a rear seat 37 and is provided with foot steps 32 and hand rails 34 to facilitate getting into and out of the seats. A hand wheel 38 on a turnable post is positioned in front of the pilots seat for manipulating the controls.

The airship is driven by a pair of rotors 45, 45 on opposite sides of the fuselage at the rear and by a pairof rotors 46, 46 on opposite sides of the fuselage at the front. Since the rotors are all similar in construction, a description of one in detail will suffice. Each rotor as shown in FIG. 3 includes a propeller assembly having a pair of opposed round shafts 47 and 48. The socketed hub 49 of a blade 50 is secured to one end of shaft 47 by means of opposed screws 51. The socketed hub 54 of a similar blade 55 is secured to one end of shaft 48 by means of screws 56. The ends of the shafts 47 and 48 are in end to end relationship, and rotate relative to each other. The hubs 49 and 54 have flanges 53 and 58, respectively, on their inner ends.

Each blade 50 and 55 is laminated and of flat paddle shape. However the blades are so'mounted and arranged and shaped that the plane of the body of the blade is disposed in a position perpendicular or at right angles to the plane of the body of the other blade as will be seen in FIG. 2 wherein the blades 50 are shown with the plane of the bodies thereof in a horizontal position or plane and the blades 55 are shown with the planes of the bodies thereof in a vertical position. Also blade 50 rotates axially in a direction difierent from blade 55.

Each propeller assembly extends across and is sup-, ported by a bearing member 69 having a hollow body with conical side wall 70 and a flat base 71. Inside the body and extending longitudinally thereof in spaced relation thereto is a tubular wall 72. The conical wall 70 of the bearing 69 is formed with opposed openings in line with opposed openings 76 in the inner wall 72. Shaft 47 of the propeller assembly is journalled in one of the openings 76 in the inner wall and shaft 48 in the other opening 76, the shafts rotating on antifriction bearings 77 in said openings. The hubs '49 and 54 of the blades extend through the openings 75 in the side wall 70 with their flanges 53 and 58 engaging the wall 72 to prevent longitudinal movement of the assembly. I

Each rotor further includes a tubular shaft 96 extending at one end through a hollow bearing 82 having a curved wall 83 and a fiat base 84 at one end, the base having a central opening 85 to receive the shaft. The shaft end extends through the opening 79 in base 71 to the interior of the tubular wall 72, rotating on ball bearings 89 and in openings 79 and 86, respectively. The other end of the hollow "bearing 82 is open and is fastened to the adjacent side wall 24 of the fuselage, around an opening 86 in the side wall by means of bolts 87 passing through an annular mounting flange 88 on the bearing and through theopening on the side wall. The inner ends of the tubular shafts 96 extend through openings i 3 V 91 in the end walls 92 of spaced rectangular-shaped gear boxes 93 mounted on the fuselage at the front and rear thereof, at the center. The shafts 96 rotate on roller bearings. 94 in the openings 91 and are provided with cellars 96 at their ends to prevent longitudinal displacement thereof.

Each pair of propeller assemblies of rotors 45, 45 and 46, 46 is mounted for axial rotation of the blades thereof with the individual blades of each pair rotating in opposite directions. For this purpose, on the outer ends of each of the shafts 96 there is a gear 98. Each gear 98 is in mesh with a novelly'shaped gear wheel 99 on shaft 47 and with a similar gear wheel 190 on shaft 48 of each propeller assembly, in the bearing members 69, the gear 98 rotating at right angles to the planes of the gear wheels 99 and 100. Each gear wheel 99 and 100 has twice as many teeth as the gear 98. Also the gear 98 has a circular body with indulations formed in its perimeter thereby providing fiat opposed toothed portions in dicated at 98 merging into opposed raised portions indicated at 98" constituting high and low contacting toothed surfaces. The gears 99 and 100 have indulations formed in the perimeters thereof so that each gear has opposite low portions indicated at 99" and 100", and opposite high portions indicated at 99' and 100'.

On each shaft 96, of each pair of shafts 96, outwardly of but closely spaced from the respective gear box 93, there are opposed brackets 1G3. Cylinders 103 shown in FIG. 4 and forming part of a hydraulic system actuate stem 106, the stems being fastened. to brackets 103 fixed on tubular shafts 96. Movement of the stems in one direction will cause the brackets 103 to turn the shafts 96 in one direction, and movement of the stems in the opposite direction will cause the shafts to be moved in the opposite direction, and upon turning of the shafts the intermeshing of the gears 98 and the gear wheels 99 and 100 causes the shafts 47 and 48 with the blades 50 and 55 to rotate axially in opposite directions.

Two engines or motors 108, 108' of ordinary construction for turning the rotors are supported on and fastened to the chassis of the fuselage or body at the front and back thereof, respectively. Each engine drives a pair of rotors. The drive from the engines to the rotors 45, 45, 46, 46 is by means of rotatable drive shafts 114, each shaft 114 being connected at one end to one of the engines and extending through a clutch 110. The other end of each shaft 114 extends into the respective gear box 93. A bevel gear 116 is fastened on the top end of shaft 114 in the box 93 at one end of the box. Another bevel gear 117 is mounted on a parallel stub shaft 118 at the other end of the box as shown in FIG. 4. A spur gear 116' is fastened to shaft 114 below gear 116 and is in mesh with a similar spur gear 117 on shaft 118 below gear 117 whereby the drive is. brought from shaft 114 to gear 117. The gears 116 and 117 rotate in opposite directions.

A shaft 81 extends loosely through each of the tubular shafts 96 and each shaft 81 carries a bevel gear 95 at its inner end, in the box 93. The other end of the shaft 81 extends into the respective bearing member 69 and is formed on said end with an integral sleeve bearing 127 sleeved around the adjacent ends of the shafts 47 and 48. Roller bearings 128 are interposed between the sleeve bearing and the ends of the shafts. Gear 116 on the end of the shaft 114 is in mesh with gear 95 on the end of shaft 81 of the rotor 45 at the left side of the fuselage as shown in FIG. 4, and gear 117 is in mesh with the gear 95 on the end of shaft 81 of the rotor 45 at the right hand side of the fuselage. Upon turning of the gears 116 and 117, the shafts 81 are rotated which in turn bodily turn the rotors and propeller blades end-over end. Gears 116 and 117 are driven by shaft 114 and shaft 114 is driven by the engine.

While front engine 108 normally drives the front ro- 2,990,1s9 I e x tors 46, 46, and the rear engine 108 normally drives the rear rotors 45, 4S, provision is made for utilizing either of the engines to drive both the front rotors and the rear rotors in case one of the engines fails. For this purpose, a shaft 120 is provided extending between and connected to the front and rear gear boxes 93, with a clutch 123 interposed in shaft 120 in order to couple the drive to both the front and rear rotors in case of failure of one of the engines. The ends of shaft 120 pass through openings in the gear boxes 93 and the shaft is driven by a gear 120' meshing with one of the bevel gears 95. The gear boxes 93 have similar gearing therein. Gear 116 in box 93 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 is in mesh with gear on the tubular shaft 81 of the rotor 46 at the left hand side of the fuselage at the front, and gear 117 is in mesh with the gear 95 on the solid shaft 81 of the rotor 46 at the right hand side of the fuselage at the front thereof whereby the members 69 are turned carrying the blades 50 and 55 of the propeller assemblies of rotors 46, 46 around bodily end-over-end in a plane parallel to the plane of the side walls of the fuselage. All of the movements of the rotors 45, 45, 46, 46 turn uniformly in the same direction. The provision of separate engines permits the change of speed of the front or rear pairs of propeller assemblies or rotors 45, 45, 46, 46 for stabilizing the airship.

During the bodily end-over-end turning movement of the propeller assemblies, the blades 50 and 55 are turning axially in opposite directions and the pitch of the blades is being changed due to the connections between the normally stationary gears 98 and the moving gear wheels 99 and 100. Shafts 98 are normally nonrotatable so that the gears 98 thereon are normally stationary whereby the gear wheels 99 and on shafts 47 and 48, respectively, are rotated in opposite directions. The gear wheels 99 and 100 have twice as many teeth as the gears 98 so that for each complete bodily revolution of the propeller assembly of each rotor in end-over-end movement, if the gears 98, 99 and 100 were circular as in the standard ordinary type of such gears, the ratio would be 1:2. For example, if the blade 55 is horizontally disposed upon start of the movement, said blade 55 will move bodily downwardly and upon such downward movement will rotate axially in one direction 45 degrees thus changing the pitch of the blade 45 degrees; upon continued movement to horizontal position the blade will rotate axially another 45 degrees thus changing the pitch 90 degrees from its starting point; upon continued bodily movement upwardly to vertical position the blade will rotate axially another 45 degrees thus changing the pitch degrees from its starting point, and upon continued bodily movement downwardly from vertical to horizontal starting position, the bladewill turn axially another 45 degrees to the original starting position, thus turning degrees axially.

In gears, such as gears 98, 99, 100, with ordinary circular bodies, the relative speed ratio is uniform for 1:2. In the gears 98, 99, 100 made in accordance with the present invention, however, the relative speed ratio is variable according to the shape and construction of the gears. Gear 98 has a circular body with indulations in the perimeter thereof providing two opposed flat portions and two opposed raised portions as shown schematically in FIG. 9. In straight plan, the body is elliptical and the relation of its radius to the radius of a standard circular gear body of the same perimeter size is (r-l-x) for its large radius and is (rx) for its small radius, x representing the difference in plus or minus between the radius of a standard circular type gear and the two radii of the elliptical gear 98.

In order for the gears 99 and 100 to mesh with the gear 98, each gear 99 and 100 must have the same variation of its radius and because the perimeter of each of said gears 99 and 100 is twice as long as the perimeter of gear 98, the shape of each gear 99 and 100 is double elliptical; The relation of the radius of each of said gears 99 and 100 with that of a circular standard gear having a perimeter of the same length is (R-l-x) for the large radii and is (R-x) for the small radii. In all these relations, the x components have the same coeflicient for the gears 98, 99, 100.

As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 9, a low area of the gear 98 having the small radius (rx) is in mesh with a high area of the gear 99 or 100, and upon rotation the high area (r-l-x) of gear 98 will mesh with a low area (Rx) of the gear 99 or 100. Gear 98 has two low areas 98 and two high areas 98, and gears 99 and 100 each has four low areas 99 and four high areas 99.

The variation of the ratio depends on the relation of the x coefiicient with either -R or r. For example, if "x represents 10% of the diameter of the gear 99 or 100 theratio is 1:1/5 for maximum fast axial rotation of the gears 99, 100, and 1:2.75 for maximum slow axial rotation of gears 99, 100. These radii may be changed as desired by the constructions shown diagrammatically in FIG. 5 wherein in the three diagrams A represents slow, B represents neutral, and C represents fast.

By reasons of this novel construction and shape of the gears 98, 99, 100, with their low and high areas, upon acomplete revolution of the shaft 47 or 48, each shaft is driven fast-slow-fast-slow as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8, while the propeller assembly is being driven at a uniform rate of speed, end-over-end.

In operation, this novel construction has more effciency than prior constructions because of the novel angular shape of the blades and the ability of the blades to change the angle and forms a vacuum faster at the top of the airship, forces a greater quantity of air downwardly along the fuselage and produces a faster or more actlve compression of the air under the airship.

For example, as shown in FIGS. and 11, starting at the top of the fuselage in FIG. 11, the fast axial rotation of the blades 50, 55 sucks the air from the top of the fuselage tothe exterior of the air thereby creating a vacuum or suction. This movement is fast and the sucking operation is very active.

Upon continued speed of the axial rotation of the blade is reduced gradually and then up to its maximum slow speed and beyond. This slow speed segment of the revolutionof the blade is a slow movement with the effect that the blade rotates a long time in a horizontal position parallel to the ground.

In these various segments of the revolution where the axial rotation of the blade is slow, the blades remain in a horizontal position longer, pushing downwardly a greater volume of air as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 10.

At the end of this slow movement, the blade gradually accelerates its axial rotation to its maximum speed and beyond, and pushes the air under the fuselage of the airship creating a compression very fast.

In the fourth and last movement of the blade around a complete revolution, its axial rotational speed is again gradually reduced to a maximum slow movement and beyond, and the blade keeps its relative vertical position, parallel to the side of the fuselage a long time. While in this vertical position, the blade cuts the air in its movement to the top of the fuselage of the airship where it again starts a new cycle. This cycle constitutes four different operating movements of the blade, the first three movements, i.e. the forming of the vacuum, the forcing of the air downwardly and the forming of the compression being positive or active, and the fourth or last movement being neutral. The fourth and last movement of the blade wherein the blade is vertical and cuts the air does not create any substantial negative resistance as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 10. The first three positive movements are successive and provide the airneuverability to propel or direct the airship forwardly, backwardly, upwardly, sidewise and execute any and all possible movements as desired, by changing the speeds of the front and rear engines and changing the pitch of the diiferent blades.

Referring to FIG. 8, the outer circle represents the variable movement of the blade and the inner circle represents the uniform movement of the propeller assembly in end-over-end movement. Starting at the top of FIG. 8, the first 70 degrees of the inner circle, representing the rotation of the propeller assembly, to the right indicates that the teeth on the high area 98 of the gear 98 are in mesh with the teeth on the low area 99" of the gear 99 and the low area 100" of the gear 100 and the shafts 47 and 48 are driven fast for 45 degrees axial rotation of the blade. The next degrees to the right of the inner circle indicates that the teeth of the low area 98" of the gear 98 are in mesh with the teeth of the high area'99' and 100' of the gears 99 and 100 and the shafts 47 and 48 are driven comparatively slowly for 45 degrees axial rotation of the blade. The next 70 degrees clockwise indicates that the teeth on the opposite. high area of the gear 98 are in mesh with the teeth of the next low area on the gears 99 and 100 and the shafts 47 and 48 are driven fast. The next 110 degrees clock-I wise indicates that the teeth of the opposite low area on the gear '98 are in mesh with the teeth of the second high area of the gears 99 and 100 and the shafts 47 and '48 are driven comparatively slowly.

Upon end-over-end rotation of the blade assemblies,-

the blades 50 and 55 when at their topmost position suck the air from the top of the fuselage of the airship there by creating a vacuum at the top of the airship as shownby arrows in FIG. 11. Continued rotation of the blades forces the air downwardly along the sides of the airship and under the fuselage of the airship where it is compressed, the air compression giving the airship the liftingpower whereby the airship rises.

In each end-over-end movement of the blade during its,

relative 'vertical upward movement to the top of the fuselage of the airship, the blade cuts the air and does notcreate any substantial resistance when cutting through the air as shown in FIG. 10.

The airship is provided with a steering rudder at its rear for controlling the lateral direction of flight, and is provided at its front and rear with an undercarriage 131, the movement of the rudder and undercarriage being controlled in the usual manner.

Each housing 27 for the propeller assembly includes an outer side plate 27' connected by cross pieces 28. A top piece 27" extends over the top and forwardly and downwardly for about sixty degrees clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1. The side plates and cross pieces protect the person and objects from the moving propellers, and the top piece 27" serves to push the air downwardly.

It will be noted that the angular position of the propeller assemblies may be readily changed without changing the position of the fuselage or body of the airship and that the pitch of the blades may be readily accomplished. Stabilized movement of the airship accordingly is provided.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that changes in details of construction might be made without departing from the principle of the invention and I desire to be limited only by the state of the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An airship in simulation of the shape of a motor vehicle comprising a fuselage, an engine supported at each end of the fuselage, hydraulically operated cylinders mounted on the fuselage, propeller assemblies at the front and rear, on the sides of the fuselage, each propeller assembly including a pair of aligned shafts and propeller blades on the outer ends of the aligned shafts, means operatively connected to the engines, for turning the propeller assemblies bodily in end-over-end rotation, means for simultaneously axially rotating the blades of each assembly in opposite directions during the end-over-end movement of the assembly, and means for varying the speed of the axial rotation of the blades of each assembly, said latter means including a tubular shaft operatively connected at one end to one of the cylinders and rotatable thereby in opposite directions, and transmission gearing connected between the other end of said tubular shaft and the propeller blade shafts of the assembly, said gearing having bodies with indulations on the perimeters thereof forming high and low areas and teeth on said perimeters adapted to mesh with each other.

2. An airship in simulation of the shape of a motor vehicle comprising a fuselage, an engine supported at each end of the fuselage, hydraulically operated cylinders mounted on the fuselage, propeller assemblies at the front and rear, on the sides of the fuselage, each propeller assembly including a pair of aligned shafts and propeller blades on the outer ends of the aligned shafts, means operatively connected to the engines for turning the propeller assemblies bodily in end-over-end rotation, means for simultaneously axially rotating the blades of each assembly in opposite directions, during the end-over-end movement of the assembly, and means for varying the speed of the axial rotation of the blades of each assembly, said latter means including a tubular shaft operatively connected at one end to one of the cylinders and rotatable thereby in opposite directions, and transmission gearing connected between the other end of said tubular shaft and the propeller blade shafts of the assembly, said gearing having bodies with toothed perimeters of different shapes and lengths.

3. An airship in simulation of the shape of a motor vehicle comprising a fuselage, an engine supported at each end of the fuselage, hydraulically operated cylinders mounted on the fuselage, propeller assemblies at the front and rear, on the sides of the fuselage, each propeller assembly including a pair of aligned shafts and propeller blades on the outer ends of the aligned shafts, means operatively connected to the engines for turning the propeller assemblies bodily in end-over-end rotation, means for simultaneously axially rotating the blades of each assembly in opposite directions during the end-over-end movement of the assembly, and means for varying the speed of the axial rotation of the blades of each assembly,

said latter means including a tubular shaft operatively connected at one end to one of the cylinders and rotatable thereby in opposite directions, a gear on the end of said tubular shaft, gears on said propeller blade shafts adjacent the ends thereof in mesh with the gear on the tubular shaft, the toothed perimeter of the gear on the tubular shaft having opposed low areas and opposed high areas, the toothed perimeters of the gears on the propeller blade shafts having opposed low areas and opposed high areas, the teeth on the low and high areas of the gear on the tubular shaft adapted to mesh with the teeth on the high and low areas of the gears on the propeller blade shafts, respectively.

4. An airship, in simulation of the shape of a motor vehicle as defined in claim 3 wherein the gears on the propeller blade shafts have twice as many teeth as the gears on the tubular shafts.

5,. An airship in simulation of the shape of a motor vehicle comprising a fuselage, an engine supported at each end of the fuselage, hydraulically operated cylinders mounted on the fuselage, propeller assemblies at the front and rear, on the sides of the fuselage, each propeller assembly including a pair of aligned shafts and propeller blades on the outer ends of the aligned shafts, means operatively connected to the engines for turning the propeller assemblies bodily in end-over-end rotation, means for simultaneously axially rotating the blades of each assembly in opposite directions during the end-over-end movement of the assembly, and means for varying the speed of the axial movement of the blades of each assembly, said latter means including a tubular shaft operatively connected at one end to one of the cylinders and rotatable thereby in opposite directions, a gear on the end of said tubular shaft, and gear wheels fastened on said propeller blade shafts adjacent the ends thereof, said gear wheels having bodies elliptical in plan and having two opposed low areas and two opposed high areas on the toothed perimeters thereof intermeshing with the teeth on the gear on the tubular shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 193,008 Lindsay July 10, 1877 1,020,274 Frazier Mar. 12, 1912 1,747,334 Sundstedt Feb. 18, 1930 1,802,882 Chappedelaine Apr. 28, 1931 1,957,739 Szafranski May 8, 1934 

